1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus which secures an umbrella to the user's body without requiring the use of the user's hands. More specifically, this invention relates to devices for this purpose which utilize a waist belt and a shoulder strap.
As is well known, umbrellas are used primarily for protecting the user from rain and to a lesser extent to protect the user from the rays of the sun. While the user of an umbrella is holding the umbrella with a hand, that hand is not available for other uses.
Common examples of users of umbrellas being frustrated due to their inability to have use of both of their hands while holding an umbrella include, but are by no means limited to the following few situations. Shoppers walking from a store in the rain have difficulty protecting themselves from rain by holding an umbrella and carrying packages at the same time. A parent attempting to protect herself or himself from the rain with an umbrella while at a sports event has difficulty attending to an infant, holding the umbrella and the hand of another child or carrying a package(s).
2. Description of the Prior Art
The desirability of being able to use an umbrella while keeping both of one's hands free has long been recognized in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,657,263 issued Jan. 8, 1927, to Lauby teaches an umbrella holder having a waist belt and a shoulder strap and is well known in the prior art. Lauby teaches a belt which encompasses the user's waist and a shoulder strap which has one end connected to the belt behind the user and its opposite end connected to the belt in front of the user. An umbrella handle is secured to the belt in front of the user and the umbrella shaft is vertically secured, to one side of the user's body, to the upper portion of the shoulder strap. The umbrella is thus secured to the user's body leaving the user's hands and arms available for other uses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,339 issued Aug. 27, 1985, to Pearson also teaches a waist belt and shoulder strap device for use in holding an umbrella. The Pearson device, like the Lauby device, secures both the umbrella handle and the umbrella shaft on the same side of the user. This maintains the umbrella shaft in a substantially vertical position.
The prior art also teaches other umbrella holders which use a tube or other rigid members which are affixed to the shoulder strap of a belt and strap combination. The umbrella, rather than being secured directly to the belt and shoulder strap, is simply inserted into the tube or secured to the rigid members. The use of such tubes or other rigid members eliminates the adjustability of the umbrella holder. Umbrella holders of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,149 issued Oct. 24, 1972, to Grogan and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,786 issued May 7, 1996, to Drane.